


Monachopsis

by baby_muke



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band), 5SOS
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Badlands, Dystopian, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, M/M, Michael seems mean at first, Muke - Freeform, set in badlands universe, the actual city is called Ambenz, the land outside though is the badlands, this is based off of the album badlands, this might get violent, trigger warning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-06
Updated: 2015-09-07
Packaged: 2018-04-19 11:02:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4743911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baby_muke/pseuds/baby_muke
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Citizens of Ambenz, particularly those in the Ambenz Fair area. We are aware that intruders have broken our boundaries, and we are currently infiltrated. Please, do stay calm, and make your way back to the underground, preferably back home, if you are able. Do not try to reason with these rebels. RUN. Thank you for your attention.”</p><p>	The screaming started again. This time it was everywhere. Luke’s blood was cold, but he felt stronger than before, more determined. He had to get everyone off the ferris wheel. Luke cringed, recognizing the sound of Ivy’s shrieks, ringing above all the others. He yanked the lever like a madman, trying not to watch in agony as passengers did their best to jump. He heard a muffled crack that sounded suspiciously like a bone. </p><p> </p><p>Or:<br/>It started at the Ambenz fair, where Luke Hemmings, ferris wheel operator, is taken captive along with 18 others by a rebel organization. The mission is lead by Michael Clifford, Calum Hood, and Ashley Frangipane. No one is sure how they managed to break through the Badlands, but no one is more determined to break back in than Luke. But maybe Ambenz isn't everything he believes, and maybe Michael could say the same about Luke.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! So this is my first fic! It's based in the Badlands universe, and I've really done my best to develop what that is to me. I've listened to Badlands three times over today trying to get down the vibe completely, so I could really write this accurately. 
> 
> For those of you who don't know, Halsey describes the Badlands as a booming, vibrant, metropolis, with desert wasteland and mountains surrounding it for miles upon miles. No one gets in, no one gets out. I sort of interpreted it as an urban illusion, so that's the perspective I'm writing from. 
> 
> Warning: there may be violence, cursing, yelling/screaming, and anxiety provoking situations in general, such as an invasion and kidnapping. Please take care of yourselves and be careful!
> 
> My tumblr is Lady-Muke if you ever want to message me with questions.
> 
> Without further ado, here is Monachopsis.

monachopsis  
n. the subtle but persistent feeling of being out of place, as maladapted to your surroundings as a seal on a beach—lumbering, clumsy, easily distracted, huddled in the company of other misfits, unable to recognize the ambient roar of your intended habitat, in which you’d be fluidly, brilliantly, effortlessly at home.

 

The night was glowing pink in Luke’s eyes, but that could probably be attributed to the rosy paper lanterns strung up over his little control booth, tinting the gray, cloudy sky. This atmosphere was chaos filtered through honey, the smell of cigarettes and magnolias permeating the air by the ferris wheel. Between Luke’s teeth was a piece of gum too old to be enjoyable, as he had been chewing it since the start of his shift at six o’clock, over two hours ago. He kept working his jaw on it anyways, to the rhythm of the lever he pushed back and forth, allowing the fair-goers to step on and off of the paint-chipped benches. After nearly a year working the wheel, Luke could tend to it fairly absent-mindedly. He’d run a hand through his flat hair, and tug at the hem of his AMBENZ FAIR uniform shirt, growing more and more restless for midnight, when he’d finally be off. He had plans to meet Ashton downtown, in the basement of Rocky Cafe. Everyone knew that place had the best view of the mountains at the outskirts of town.

In the meantime, he just liked to watch the people. There had always been certain types that caught his eye ever since he began working at the fair. The young couples, flushed under the neon lights, tearing off pieces of cotton candy and watching it dissolve starry-eyed into their lover’s mouth. There were the older ones, whom Luke labelled “lost souls” in his head. They walked in the shadows, but looked like a faint source of light themselves. Walking slowly, usually a shawl or old leather coat wrapped around their shoulders, they drank in the moment, slow and thick like a milkshake. Most people thought they looked sad. Luke thought they liked it that way. There were also the boys. Not just boys in general, but the ones that made Luke back a little further into his booth, but kept him on the edge of his seat. He’d watch them toe at the rose petals ground into the asphalt and blow cigarette smoke into the air. Those boys reminded him a bit too much of the steam that rose from the cracks in the sidewalk, but sent pleasant shivers down his spine nonetheless.

On this particular night however, there wasn’t much of anyone to watch, other than stomping teens and squealing children dragging their parents towards the wheel. An exhausted mother stepped up to the booth, holding the hand of a petulant little boy. As she handed Luke their tickets, he reached out, trying to poke the black ring that pierced Luke’s lower lip. She apologized and hurried away, but Luke simply chuckled. It hadn’t been the first time. 

As Luke looked down to push the lever forward, he heard a familiar voice. “Lucas!” Ivy. A rather difficult ‘friend-not-friend’ relationship. She hopped up to the booth, her black bob bouncing. “Fancy seeing you here, Hemmo.” Her icy eyes shimmered.

“As always, Ivy.” Luke snorted. This wasn’t the first time Ivy had popped by during his shift. He knew it hadn’t ever been for him, though. Half the time, he split his shift with her boyfriend, and Ivy was nothing if not thorough, always checking out his scene whether he was around or not. She handed him her bubblegum pink ticket, holding it out between two perfectly manicured fingers.

“This doesn’t look like a bad setup. Don’t know why you’re always complaining.” Luke rolled his eyes at her lipstick smeared smirk. He didn’t know what he thought about Ivy, just that he thought a lot about her.

“You try working here from eight to noon, six to midnight. An hour ago I had to give a refund to someone complaining about too much grease on their funnel cake, and I don’t even fucking sell funnel cakes.” Luke waved his hand for Ivy to move ahead to her seat, which she did reluctantly, before taking a ticket from the next customer. With a quick glance he saw Ivy flipping him off, her feet kicked up on the handrail. Luke grinned. “Miss, you might want to put those down! I’d hate to ask you to leave!” He could see her eye roll from 30 feet away. Luke wasn’t sure what it was, but he tended to be much more outspoken around Ivy, even if only out of sheer annoyance.

About fifteen minutes had passed without incident before Luke heard shouts in the distance. His spine went rigid, but he did his best to ignore the sensation. He worked at a fair, he should be used to overexcited patrons by now. Over the next minute, the shouts crescendoed, seeming to blend into screeches, causing Luke’s heart to skip a beat as he fought to stay calm. Just as he managed to breathe deeply in and slow his pulse, the worst possible thing happened. The noise stopped.

It seemed the people around him were finally taking notice too. He heard worried murmurs building, echoing from the cement walls, vibrating in his mind. Luke hadn’t felt this suffocated in a long time. The passerby seemed to agree, scratching at their necks and biting lips, nervously smiling at their friends. Luke hated this screen of calm, how obvious it was that each and every one of them was pretending. Just as Luke began tug at his own hair, the announcement started, booming from the speakers and reverberating like an earthquake.

“Citizens of Ambenz, particularly those in the Ambenz Fair area. We are aware that intruders have broken our boundaries, and we are currently infiltrated. Please, do stay calm, and make your way back to the underground, preferably back home, if you are able. Do not try to reason with these rebels. RUN. Thank you for your attention.”

The screaming started again. This time it was everywhere. Luke’s blood was cold, but he felt stronger than before, more determined. He had to get everyone off the ferris wheel. Luke cringed, recognizing the sound of Ivy’s shrieks, ringing above all the others. He yanked the lever like a madman, trying not to watch in agony as passengers did their best to jump. He heard a muffled crack that sounded suspiciously like a bone. 

“Get OFF! Fucking hurry and GET OFF!” Luke felt angry tears drip down his cheeks as he frantically tried to unload everyone he could. It was impossible though, and he knew it. Less than half the passengers were off, and the woes being screamed from the wheel seemed to short circuit his brain. 

“Get the ones that look healthy. Subdue the ones making it difficult!” Luke heard the orders barked out, and realized it was too late. A sob wracked through his chest, leaving his ribcage aching and his arm sore as he continued to mercilessly jerk the lever. No, no, fuck, I can’t-

Luke heard a laugh. It couldn’t have been more than two feet behind him. They were in the booth. “Gotcha.” The blood drained from his face as he felt the texture of burlap pulled over his eyes and neck. 

Suddenly, Luke was falling asleep to the scent of cigarettes and magnolias.


	2. Hold Me down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke was astonished. The person standing before him couldn’t be more than two years older than him, obviously still a teenager. His hair was a shade of lilac that reminded Luke of steam clouding one of his favorite neon signs, and he was wearing jeans that in Luke’s opinion, were way too tight for the heat. What shocked him the most, though, was that he looked like one of Luke’s fair boys, blowing smoke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Sorry if this isn't the best! I was eager to get an update up, and get the story rolling! It just needs a lot of setup. Anyways, I'm really excited to see where this story goes! Please, let me know your opinions and suggestions, either in the comments, kudos, or even on my tumblr, lady-muke. Thanks, as always!

Luke’s first waking sensation was the heat inside his eyelids, burning them pink. Blinking away the fuzz at the edges of his vision, he sucked in humid air over his dry tongue. The desert. He was in the desert. Suddenly his jeans felt too tight against his skin, and the scratchy rope restraining his wrists reminded him of his situation.

Around him were seven others, all leaning against a rocky, shaded, wall. Three were asleep, and four awake, trying to absorb their unfamiliar surroundings. Ivy was dozing beside him, a bit of drool on her chin. Of course he’d end up with her. To Luke’s right, a mustard yellow tent had been set up haphazardly, and a girl reclined in a folding chair. Her hair was cropped short, a vivid aquamarine, and circular-lensed sunglasses were perched on the tip of her nose. A pistol rested in her lap. She tapped the heels of her dusty combat boots together, looking at Luke with a frown.

“How ya doing, Blondie?” She leaned forward a bit in her seat, tilting her head. Luke was mystified at the teasing words in comparison to the genuine concern etched across her features. He settled for not responding at all, turning his eyes to the sand, hair flopping over his damp forehead. The blush on his cheeks wasn’t due to the heat.

She huffed, leaning back into her chair again. “Alright. You’re not making this easier for yourself, but alright.” 

With those words, Luke nearly snapped. If it had been up to him, he’d still be at home in Ambenz with his family, working his crappy minimum wage job, bitching about funnel cake, and being content with his life, or as close as he could be. Instead, he was being held captive in a desert, Ambenz only visible when he squinted at the horizon, the smoky structures tinted pink or blue. Luke tensed in frustration, causing the rope to dig deeper into his wrists. He fought the urge to pull them apart, knowing it would only result in more pain, but the temptation boiled with his frustration. Luke wanted to scream at the idiotic blue-haired girl, who sat picking at a cuticle absent-mindedly, but instead he burned a hole in the ground with his glare.   
********

Another hour passed, other captives gradually awakening and being greeted by the girl, who seemed to evoke similar reactions from each one. As time passed, it only got hotter, and Luke only got more miserable. 

Ivy didn’t help that when she finally woke up. Luke felt her inhale deeply and straighten her back, before she realized who was seated next to her. “Oh, it’s you.” She wiped her face on the sleeve of Luke’s t-shirt, leaving him too exasperated to do much but sigh.

“Yep. It’s me.” 

“God, you’re gonna be so fucking annoying.”

They left it at that.

Not long after their brief exchange, the blue-haired girl broke the silence by speaking into a leather band that encircled her wrist. “Yeah. They’re all awake now. You on your way over? I’m ready anytime. Okay. Okay.” 

Luke eyed her wearily. Honestly dealing with one frustratingly cavalier captor was enough for him, but apparently he couldn’t be so lucky. She grinned back at him and spoke once more into the bracelet. “Oh, trust me, they’re excited.”

Excitement. Luke tries to remember the last time he felt excitement. Surprisingly, it had been last night, previous to the invasion. He’d been looking forward to meeting Ashton and his steam friends at Rocky Cafe all week. Ashton had said he wanted to introduce Luke to someone, someone ‘special’. Luke hopes Ashton had a good night, even if he wasn’t there. Having been his closest friend since they were toddlers, still amused by the steam that would rise from street vents. With a bitter, metallic, taste on his tongue, Luke wondered if Ashton’s ‘someone special’ would console him in Luke’s absence. 

A tear rolled down his cheek, catching him off guard. Could it be sweat? As another slipped down, he realized it wasn’t. Luke could see Ivy’s blurry smirk from the corner of his eye. He attempted to wipe the wetness away before remembering his restraints, and frustration swelled up enough for him to let out a groan. Blue-hair’s head snapped up at the sound, before her eyes softened. Luke didn’t want her pity, he didn’t even want her to see him in his state of distress. It couldn’t be helped however, and that knowledge comforted him as he allowed himself to breakdown, right in front of her careful eyes.

********

For being raised in a city powered by steam, Luke had always felt weary of the rising vapor encircling Ambenz. It made sense, though, in that maze of a city. With all the cement walls rising stories above the streets, blocking out a proper field of vision, the steam only aided in making the above-ground impossible to navigate. Of course, other than the year-round Ambenz Fair, there wasn’t much reason to go above the surface. The true city lied beneath, the steam rooms, schools, homes, and stores, all lining the system of tunnels tangled in the ground. 

Really, there wasn’t anything on top of the city. The towering concrete structures were built for effect, or so they said in 5th grade Social Studies. The buildings were hollow concrete, the illusion of a city. Each wall was littered with graffiti and neon lights, and Luke always thought of the above-ground as art. Most people felt uncomfortable when they weren’t beneath the surface, claiming it to be ‘too open’, making them ‘too small’. 

Ever since Luke was 7, the underground had been suffocating. Even the maze of concrete and open air had been too claustrophobic, but then again, most children were never trapped in a steam chamber. Luke could never remember how it happened, only the feeling of cold, wet, tile on his cheek, and the festering terror as it began to grow hotter, vapor rising in every direction. Soon, he couldn’t see through the steam, so he didn’t try. Luke had been found fairly soon, curled up with his hands covering his eyes. His mother and father had been terrified, he still remembers their shaky breath. Ben and Jack, his brothers, had been solemn. The accident had been their fault, after all, having forgotten to check the chamber before switching on the power. Thankfully, Luke had been fine, only vaguely repelled by the steam clouding Ambenz. It hadn’t been hard to get used to, though, living with it every day of his life.

All the same, Luke hadn’t been pressured to work in the steam chambers like his father and brothers. Instead, he chose an above-ground job, like his mother, who coordinated the color patterns of neon signs dotting the walls. So while working at the fair wasn’t necessarily ideal, Luke couldn’t say he wasn’t thankful, even if growing up to see his friends disappear into the steam five days a week could make him feel isolated, on occasion. Isolated wasn’t bad, though. Not for Luke.

********

“Alright, stand up. Stay in line,” Blue-hair ordered, standing up and dusting her hands on her shirt hem. She unzipped her large purple backpack, and retrieved a sack of what looked like metal bands. “These are tracking devices. They will shock you if you ever are more than 100 feet away from me or another division leader. They go on your wrists, so yes. I will untie you. I hate to say this, but remember- I have a gun.” She smirked and began moving down the line, slicing bonds with her pocket knife and clasping the devices down on each captive’s right wrist.

“Show me your hands, Blondie.” Luke did. He could have screamed with relief when she pulled off the rope. He began to stretch his wrists and arms, but she didn’t give him an opportunity before she roughly clamped the device on, before pushing his shoulders down as a signal to take a seat again. Luke wondered why he felt so numb.

Soon, the girl had made her way through the line. Casually swinging her arms, she stepped out in front of them, standing before a group of enraged captives without a speck of fear in her eyes. If anything, she looked friendly, if you could manage to forget the gun.

“I know you’re all confused. I would be too, but it’s okay. First you’re in Ambenz, now you’re here, livin it up in the Badlands,” she grinned. “But we have a reason. One you may not understand for a while. Our division head is on his way, he’s going to explain what he can. I recommend you trust him, and you trust me. Of course you don’t have to. But you’ll be glad you did. Oh, and I’m Halsey, by the way.” 

Luke felt nauseous, just trying to imagine how self-important one would have to be in order to kidnap random citizens, then ask them to be trusting. If anything, her little speech repelled him from her even more. A buzz sounded from her wrist. Her lips curved into a small smile. “He’s here!”

Halsey strolled behind the tent, completely abandoning the captives. Luke made tentative eye contact with several, each obviously debating whether running would be worth the risk. Before anyone could make their decision, she was bouncing back, this time some guy trailing behind her. He turned to face them. 

Luke was astonished. The person standing before him couldn’t be more than two years older than him, obviously still a teenager. His hair was a shade of lilac that reminded Luke of steam clouding one of his favorite neon signs, and he was wearing jeans that in Luke’s opinion, were way too tight for the heat. What shocked him the most, though, was that he looked like one of Luke’s fair boys, blowing smoke.

He smiled widely at them, no one daring to move a muscle back. “I’m Michael. You all probably hate me, but believe it or not, I’m trying to help. Me, Halsey, everyone who is a part of this- we’re all trying to break the Badlands. We’re trying to break Ambenz. There’s more than that, of course, but today, we don’t need to go into that. You all are half of the people we took last night. We have another group set up at another site. I’ll be going in between the two, Halsey’s in charge here. Just know we aren’t here to hurt you.”

Luke rolled his eyes and kicked at the sand. Michael’s eyes snapped onto him, glowing with something he couldn’t quite identify. Luke blushed as he heard Michael’s light chuckle.

“Yeah. It sounds ridiculous. But you don’t have to like it. Not right now.” Luke couldn’t help but feel that part was directed at him more so than anybody, so he looked anywhere he could but at Michael. “Anyways, I’m not here to win your hearts, or whatever the fuck it is Halsey’s been trying to do all morning.” He reached into his own pack and pulled out a leather bound journal and pen. “Names and ages. I need names and ages.” Michael bit his lip, clicking the pen several times before starting at the first of the line.

“Elena Carter. 24.”

“Sadie Barton. 27.”

“Luke. 17.” Michael held his gaze expectantly. 

Just as Luke began to panic internally, wondering what else he could possibly want, Ivy piped up. “Hemmings, the idiot’s last name is Hemmings.” Cringing, Luke averted his eyes, still catching Michael’s smirk as he scribbled down his name. “And I’m Ivy Lloyd. 18”

“Jeremy Benson. 20.”

“Trevor Banks. 17.”

“Gwen Mitchell. 21.”

“Chris Haines. 30.”

Michael finished jotting down the information, chewing his bottom lip in the process. Slipping the journal into his backpack once again, he let out a shaky breath. “I guess that’s it. We’ve got a long way to go.”


End file.
